PS3 motion controller with PlayStation Eye; Due Fall 2010

[Cyorg]

Motion Control Developer Diaries
Chapter 1: Research & Development


Tokyo Game Show (TGS) September 2009 Press Conference
Demonstration Video (Intro + Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition)
Demonstration Video (LittleBigPlanet's new cooperative play)

PlayStation.Blog Behind the Scenes with SCEA Research & Development
Part I | Part II | Part III: Deep Dive into the E3 Demo

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) June 2009 Press Conference
Tech Demos: Part 1 | Part 2

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The new Motion Controller*, equipped with high-precision, highly accurate motion sensors, can deliver a whole new entertainment experience on PS3 when combined with the PlayStation®Eye camera*1. Capable of recognizing and tracking a user's face and voice as well as body motion, PlayStation Eye can also output the player's image onto the TV screen.

The newly announced Motion Controller is equipped with two motion sensors, three axes gyroscope and three axes accelerometer that can detect the controller's angle and movement held in the user's hand. Together with the PlayStation Eye camera for PS3 which can accurately track the absolute position of the controller, the controller can detect the natural and intuitive movement of the hand and reflect the precise movement into the game. The sphere placed on the top of the controller is not only used to track the absolute position but can also give visual feedback to users by changing the colors or the illuminating patterns of the sphere. Furthermore, the new controller is also equipped with a rumble feature, familiar to the PlayStation® DUALSHOCK® series controller, delivering immersive gaming experience to users.

Further expanding the new experience on PS3, SCE Worldwide Studios will deliver many exciting software titles for the Motion Controller in 2010*2. SCE, with strong support from software developers and publishers, will deploy various measures to enhance the software title line-up for the new Motion Controller and vigorously promote the PS3 platform.

*Motion Controller is a tentative name.
*1 Users will need to use the PlayStation Eye camera to enjoy Motion Controller on PS3.
*2 Please see below for software titles to be released in 2010.

Product Outline

Product name: Motion Controller (tentative)
Release date: Autumn 2010
Recommended Retail Price: To be decided
Key Features:

• Three axes gyroscope, three axes accelerometer
• Sphere for camera tracking and lit color/pattern feedback
• Rumble feedback
• Bluetooth® 2.0 wireless connection
• Lithium-Ion rechargeable internal battery

Software Titles for Motion Controller from SCE Worldwide Studios
Titles to be released will depend by countries or regions.
2010 release, includes both Motion Controller dedicated and compatible titles

• Ape Escape (Working Title)
• Echochrome 2 (Working Title)
• Eccentric Slider (Working Title)
• Sing and Draw (Working Title)
• Champions of Time (Working Title)
• Motion Party (Working Title)
• The Shoot (Working Title)
• Tower (Working Title)

Motion control function will be added by network update, etc:

• LittleBigPlanet
• PAIN
• Flower
• Hustle Kings
• High Velocity Bowling
• EyePet

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Third Party Announced

• Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition
• EA Sports Active 2
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11
• Under Siege

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Third Party Unconfirmed

• The Grinder

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PLAYSTATION Eye Features (no wand controller required):

Develop '09: PlayStation camera boasts new features

Some of the advantages boasted by Microsoft's Natal controller are already in the PSEye, Sony said today.

The firm has developed new facial recognition software for the PSEye camera which has been put together after many experiments by both the excellent SCEE R&D team and work with other developers.

"We've got a wealth of libraries available," explained head of developer services Kish Hirani.

He admitted that "it's a lot of fun in the office" and has been tested extensively.

The facial tech can see the position and direction of a player's head and can work out theg ender and age of the face, and detects different parts of the face including nose, mouth, eyes, eyebrows, shape of the mouth - and even glasses.

Sony motion controller is 'true interaction'

Develop '09: Format-holder discusses new device at Develop Conference
Sony this morning offered developers attending its coding keynote at the Develop Conference in Brighton more details on its new motion controller.
The device, which was unveiled at E3, uses a wand-like peripheral with built-in accelerometers and a coloured ball at one end which is tracked by the PSEye camera.
"It can track true 3D, whereever I move it will fully track on every axis," explained SCEE developer services boss Kish Hirani.
In a demo of the archery game shown at E3, SCEE's Colin Hughes explained more:
"We're not getting any lag, which we had with the camera-based stuff on PS3 before. It is very quick and responsive."

The mix of camera tracking and [internal sensors] hardware means that the device is 'aware' even when it isn't being seen by the camera.

"It tracks the controller based on acceleromoter - so you can use it really freely, even behind your back," said Hirani. "You have great accuracy."

He added: "There's a whole spectrum of things you can do with this controller.

"It picks up all the pitch and movement. It's precise and responsive - the sphere on [the front] is what the controleller is tracking - it uses the full RGB spectrum for the colours."

He added that using the PSEye makes it "a truly interactive device" given its mix of controller hardware, camera and directional microphone.

Developers waning to make a game for the motion controller need a PSPEye - and prototypes of the actual hardware is available from SCEE account managers, but are in limited quantities at the moment. Studios will have to get whitelisted by Sony and discuss their ideas with them before the prototypes become more freely available.

And in terms of external middleware the device uses AiLive - which as Hirani pointed out "other devices using motion controllers use" (i.e. Wii - and it's free to all PS3 developers.

Develop 2009: SCEE’s Hirani Reveals PS Eye Facial Recognition, Motion Controller Details

To take advantage of Sony’s upcoming PS3 motion controller, approved developers will be given associated libraries, access to AiLive's gesture recognition middleware, and Sony-developed facial recognition software.

SCEE’s Head of Developer Services Kish Hirani revealed the new details at Brighton's Develop Conference. Although it wasn't demonstrated, Hirani promised the facial recognition software would "detect gender and even the age of the face, separate facial features such as the nose, eyes and ears, and even detect whether you’re smiling or not."

The reveal was part of Hirani’s promise that developers wouldn’t need to develop their own tech to work with the new controllers. "If you are working with the Playstation Eye and think there is some new tech you’re going to have to develop for the motion controllers, just get in touch with us," he said.

"We have a wealth of libraries available, and the chances are you won’t have to develop any technology yourself."

Hirani also implied that libraries will include skeleton tracking, and expanded on the interaction between the camera and the motion controllers.

"The sphere is what the camera is tracking, in full RGB -- it tracks X and Y, and Z is deduced from the area of the sphere," he explained.

He promised, however, that the controller’s internal accelerometer will allow its movement to be fully tracked even when hidden from the camera.

Developers interested in working with Sony’s motion controllers will need to be approved, said Hirani—- there are a "very limited" number of controller prototypes currently available, but approved developers will be quickly white-listed for the SDK and documentation, which will include free access to the AiLive gesture recognition middleware.

In closing, Hirani discussed a potential future for the new Playstation Eye and motion controller. He suggested great gains could be made in augmented reality games, referring to Sony’s upcoming EyePet title for PS3 and Invizimals for PSP as examples.

"We can provide you will all of the tech," he promised. "We want you to provide us great games."